Combined washing and drying machine



March 23, 1937. A, c, HME Z 2,074,867

COMBINED WASHING AND DRYING MACHINE I Filed Jan. 18, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet1 TIE-1 March 23, 1937. A. c. SCHMELZER COMBINED WASHING AND DRYINGMACHINE 7 Filed Jan. 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllll INVENTOR HNTON C.ECHNELZER ATTORNEY atenteci Mar. 212%, M37

COMBINED WASHING AND DRYIN MACHINE Anton C. Schmelzer, Cleveland, OhioApplication January 18, 1935, SerialNo. 2,368

7 Claims.

This invention relates to combined clothes washing and drying machinesutilizing centrifugal force for removing the excess liquid from theclothes after washing. In combined machines vats of unequal diametersare mounted side by side upon a single suitable supporting frame, whichframe carries the washing mechanism and the drier mechanism. .Thedescribed construction causes transfer of vibrations of the washingmechanism to the drier mechanism and vice versa and effects periodicaloscillatory movements of the frame.

This tendency of the combination machines to oscillate shake and move onthe floor, which naturally increases with wear of the mechanisms, causesnoise noticeable throughout the house and often destroys the covering ofthe floor upon which the machine rests.

Among the objects of my invention, which I have in View, is theprovision of a combination machine which avoids oscillations, noise anddamage to the floor by embodying individual,

independent and self supporting washing and dry-"- ing units, connectedto each other by convenient readily applicable and removable means whichhold the units in proper position with respect to each other and combinesame to asingle structure, adapted to be readily handled and moved as asingle unit. Such machine prohibits transmission of the vibrations ofone self supporting unit to the other unit and vice versa or reduces thetransfer of the oscillation to an unnoticeable minimum.

Another object of the invention is the provision of connecting meansbetween individual self supporting washing and drying units soconstructed as to absorb the greater part of vibrations of the units toavoid these vibrations to be transferred between the units.

. A further object of the invention is the provision of connecting meansbetween individual self supporting washing and drying units soconstructed as to permit of a rigid connection of the vats of the selfsupporting units with each other and permitting individual support ofeach unit on the floor for insuring proper self support of each unit.

With these and further objects and advantages in view, the nature,characteristic features and scope of the invention will more readily beunderstood from the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings .forming a part hereof, wherein- Fig. 1 is a sideview of a self supporting washing machine and self supporting drier, thedrier and washing machine being connected by steel bands rigidlyconnecting the two units and permitting operation of the combined unitsas a combination washing and drying machine;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the pivotal joints of thebands;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view through one of thebands and its shockabsorbing backing member; r

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified combined washing machine and driershowing a unitary top plate for the two self supporting units and steelband means for rigidly connecting the two self supporting units to eachotherso as to form a combined washing and drying machine.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the modified combined washing and dryingmachine shown in Fig. 5, the unitary top plate and the top portions ofthe vats of the two units being shown in section;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view through the top plate portionbetween the vats of the two units;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view through one of the legs of the selfsupporting drier unit,

and v Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 7 with asomewhat modified form of a cover plate.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, A represents a washing machinecomprising a circular base housing or hollow support 2, mounted uponbrackets 3 and-casters 4 which are secured to the base housing in any ofthe common methods. Base housing 2 supports at its top a circular tub orvat 5, in which a suitable washing mechanism 6 is operated and carriesan upright sleeve 1, en closing the customary wringer drive shaft (notshown). The sleeve 1 mounts at its top a wringer gear housing 8 ofapproved form, which supports andcarries a wringer device 9, all ascommonly practiced in the art.

The washing machine A is connected to a centrifugal drier unit B,embodying a circular base housing or support In, mounted on legs llhaving casters l2, the legs being secured to the base in any commonmanner. The self supporting drier unit B, as shown, is driven by thedrive mechanism Id of the washing machine, shaft l5 being used for thispurpose, however, it is obvious that the drier unit may include a motordrive or other means for actuating the unit.

The base housing Ill of the drier imit mounts a circular tub or vat l6which carries rotatably mounted therein a container l1 adapted to berotated at high speed for extracting the excess liquid from the clothesafter washing, all as commonly practiced in the art and thereforenot-shown in detail.

The tub 5 of the washing machine A and the tub I6 of the drier unit Bare connected with each other by means of steelband means [8.Preferably, as shown, two horizontally spaced steel band means I8 areused for the connection of the tubs, one close to the top of the tubsand one close to the bottom of the tubs, so as to insure a rigidconnection between the two tubs. Each of the steel band means l8comprises two yielding, metal split rings l9 and 20. The ring I9encircles the tub 5 of the washing machine A and the ring encircles thetub l6 of the drier unit B. Split rings l9 and 20 have their oppositeends angularly offset to form straight parallel lateral extensions I9,28', and these extensions are slotted as at 2| so as to permit a bolt 22to be inserted through the extensions l9 and 28 when the rings arealigned and about to be contracted upon their respective tubs. The slots2| and bolt 22 permit of proper securing of the split rings with eachother when a nut 23 is screwed home and also permit a pivotal movementbetween the units, thus avoiding undesired stresses on the bands whenmoving the machine on an uneven floor. A yielding spacing element 24,preferably a rubber block, spaces the extensions i9, 20 and permits ofproper tensioning of the rings on their tubs. Protective circular rubberbands 25, provided with ribs 26 at their parallel edges prohibit directcontact of the rings l8 and 28 with their tubs 5 and I6. These rubberbands serve as shock absorbing and vibration deadening means and help toavoid transfer of the vibrations of the washing machine to thecentrifugal drier and vice versa; it is obvious that the rubber spacingblock 24 serves a similar purpose.

The described connection of the individually supported units, thewashing machine and the centrifugal drier, permits of simple and readyexchange of either unit in the thus formed combination machine by merelyloosening and unscrewing the nuts 23 from their bolts 22. It alsopermits of the attachment of an individually supported drying unit to astandard washing machine of the wringer type for changing this type ofwashing machine to a combination machine which embodies a centrifugaldrier.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 to 8 shows asomewhat different coupling or connection between an individuallysupported washing machine and a centrifugal drier unit. In this form thebottom portions of the tubs 5 and I6 are connected by yielding clampingmeans of the type disclosed in Figs. 1 through 4, whereas the upperportions of the tubs are more rigidly connected to each other by aunitary plate 26. This plate, which is rigidly secured to the topportion of the tub l6 of the self supporting drier unit B, and clampedto the tub 5 of the washing machine A, comprises an oblong shapedhorizontal portion 21 provided with flanged openings 28 and 29 ofdifferent diameter. The flange 30 of opening 28 is tightly seated in thetop of the tub i6 of the drier unit B and rigidly secured thereto bymeans of screws 3i threadedly engaging the flange 30 of opening 28 andthe wall of tub IS. The flange 32 of the opening 29 extends into the tub5 of the washing machine A in axial alignment with respect thereto. The

opening 29 is of smaller diameter than the opening of the washingmachine so as to permit the use of a single cover plate for connecting astandard drier unit with differently sized washing machines. tub 5 ofthe washing machine by means of clamping screws 33, three of which areshown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. These clamping screws are threadedlyengaged with angular brackets 34 on the bottom of plate 26 and spacedwith respect to flanged opening 29, so as to permit a three pointclamping of the plate 26 to the tub 5 when the clamping screws arescrewed home. Clamping blocks 35, swiveled to the ends 01' the screws33, permit of proper frictional clamping engagement of the screws withthe tub 5. The plate 26 is circumferentially provided with an upstandingflange 36 and carries at one end a foldable drip board 31, pivotallysecured to the flange 36 by rivets 31. This drainboard, when in workingposition, extends laterally beyond the flange 36 so as to permit ofdrippings of clothes taken from a wash tub 38 to be drained back intosaid wash tub.

The legs ll of the drier unit B are adjustable in height and permit ofhorizontal alignment of the tops of the washing machine A and the drierunit for securing proper rest of top plate 26 upon the edge of the tub5. Thus each leg I l slidably supports in its bottom plate 39 a threadedstandard 40 which standard carries the roller l2 and is held in adjustedposition by nuts 4| and 4|. The openings 28 and 29 in the top plate 26are closed by cover members 42, 43 in any suitable manner.

When it is desired to build a drier unit with legs, which mount thecasters rigidly, not adjust ably, then I provide the top plate 26 with aflanged opening 28, thefiange 30 of which is of substantial length inorder toextend into the tub l6 of the drier unit B, even though the topplate 26 does not rest upon the tub I6. This construction which is shownin Figure 9 permits of horizontal alignment of the bottom face of thetop plate with the upper edge of the washing machine A, and therewithproper support of said plate upon the washing machine. The plate 26 isrigidly clamped to the tub l6 by means of screw bolts 44 having nuts 45.These bolts extend through vertical slots 46 in the flange 30 of theplate, which slots permit of vertical adjustment of the plate 26 withrespect to the drier unit and thus insure horizontal alignment betweenthe plate 26 and the washing machine A.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a washing machine having a tub open at its topand an independently supported centrifuge unit having a tub open at itstop; of means for rigidly and detachably connecting the upper portionsof said washing machine tub and said centrifuge unit tub, said meanscomprising an elongated unitary top plate having an opening, adownwardly extending flange on said top plate encircling said openingand extended into the open top of said centrifuge unit tub incircumferential contact with the side wall thereof, means rigidlysecuring said flange on said top plate to said side wall, said top platehaving a second opening, a downwardly extending flange on said top plateencircling said second opening and extended into the tub of said washingma- Cover plate 26 is secured to the chine, and clamping means on saidtop plate radially arranged with respect to said second opening forrigidly clamping said top plate to the top portion or the tub of saidwashing machine in axial alignment therewith.

2. The combination with a washing machine embodying a tub and anindependently supported centrifuge unit of vertically spaced means forconnecting the top and the bottom portions respectively of the tubs ofsaid washing machine and said centrifuge unit, each of said connectingmeans comprising split members adapted to extend around the washingmachine tub and the centrifuge unit tub, and means for tensioning saidsplit members around the tubs of said washing machine and saidcentrifuge unit and spacing them with respect to each other.

3. The combination with a washing machine and an independently supportedcentrifuge unit, of means for separately connecting the top and bottomportions of the bodies of said washing machine and said centrifuge unitcomprising an elongated top plate secured to said centrifuge unit andresting on and clamped to said washing machine, and connecting andspacing means extending around and joining the bottom por-- tions of thewashing machine and the drier unit including means for tensioning saidlast named connecting means, around said washing machine and centrifugeunit.

4. In combination a washing machine embodying a frame and a tubsupported thereby; a separate independently supported centrifuge unitembodying a frame and a tub supported thereby; yielding split bandsconnected to each other and arranged substantially circumferentially ofthe tubs of said washing machine and said centrifuge; a singlemeansconnecting the ends of said split bands and tensioning the grip of thebands on said tubs; and yielding means arranged between the ends of saidsplit bands for stiffening the connection of said bands.

ii. In combination a washing machine cmhnaziy ing a frame and a tubsupported thereby; a separate, independently supported centrifuge unitembodying a frame and a tub supported thereby;

and means for rigidly connecting the tops oi the tubs of said washingmachine and said centrifuge, said connecting means comprising anelongated unitary top plate rigidly secured to the top of the centrifugetub, and means on said plate for clamping same at spaced points to theside wall of the washing machine tub.

6. In combination a washing machine embodying a frame and a tubsupported thereby; a separate, independently supported centrifuge unitembodying a vertically adjustable frame and a tub supported thereby; andmeans for rigidly connecting the tops of the tubs of said washingmachine and said centrifuge unit, said means comprising an elongatedunitary top plate seated upon the aligned top edges of the tubs of saidwashing machine and said centrifuge unit and provided with a flangedopening, the flange of which extends into the tub of the washingmachine, and clamping means on said plate for clamping said plate to theside wall of the tub of said washing machine.

'7. In combination a washing machine embodying a frame and a tubsupported thereby; a separate, independently supported centrifuge unitem- 5 bodying a frame and a tub supported thereby; and means for rigidlyconnecting the tops of the tubs of said washing machine and saidcentrifuge unit, said means comprising an elongated unitary top platevertically adjustably secured to said centrifuge unit, and means on saidplate for clamping same to the side wall of the tub of said washingmachine.

ANTON C. SCHMELZER.

